FIFA back Brazil World Cup

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke says Brazil will definitely host the 2014 World Cup after admitting there is no "plan B". The South American nation are currently staging the Confederations Cup, considered a dress-rehearsal for next year's showpiece, although the tournament has been marred by protests involving over one million people in roughly 100 cities across the country. The demonstrators are aggrieved as they see the World Cup as an unnecessary drain on the country's financial resources and would prefer to see the billions of Reals set to be used to build infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and security services. The Confederations Cup was in danger of being called off, with Valcke admitting to BBC Sport: "There was one evening on 20 June when we reached a peak in the country. "The demonstrations had moved from being non-violent protests to a minority of violent protestors who were making a lot of noise and problems. "So the following day we had a crisis meeting, including the government the local organising committee and Fifa just to make sure we were on the same page, in order to end the tournament in the best possible way." Valcke then confirmed the World Cup will go ahead as planned after being given assurances by the government over safety concerns. "The World Cup will be held in Brazil," he added. "The first game will happen in Sao Paulo, the final will be in Rio. There is no plan B."